


Hiking

by captain_sassy_socks



Series: Crossword - AU [11]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Crossword - AU, Ellie the dog, F/M, Hiking, Humor, Smut, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:00:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22885177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_sassy_socks/pseuds/captain_sassy_socks
Summary: Jack, Sam, and Ellie go on a hike.Jack is nervous since he has a surprise planned for his space hero.In the end, the day holds more than one surprise in store for them. In an unpredictable way.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Crossword - AU [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540798
Comments: 13
Kudos: 65





	Hiking

“Sam! Hurry up!” He doesn’t get why she needs so much time. It’s shortly after 8 am on a gorgeous Sunday morning. They got up early since they aim to be on their way in the national park before the crowd of careless, noisy tourists and wannabe hikers arrives. He is not in the mood to face these idiots because he has a surprise planned for his beloved Samantha. A day full of hiking and relaxation, and maybe some other physical activities, lies ahead of them.

If they ever hit the road.

Beside him, Ellie waggles her tail and woofs in agreement with his assessment.

“In a minute, Jack!” Her reply echoes of the walls in the hallway.

Once again, he takes a look at his watch. She said that five minutes ago. If he isn’t able to speed up whatever she’s doing in the bathroom, he can go through his mental checklist one more time. He examines the content of his backpack.

Sandwiches. Check.  
Orange juice and water. Check.  
Bowl. Check.  
Blanket. Check.  
Sunscreen. Check.  
Today’s newspaper with the crossword puzzle. His heart beats faster. Check.  
Pen. Crucial for the above. Check.  
He pats the side pocket of his pants to reaffirm himself. His fingers come in contact with the unmistakable shape of the small package. Check.

Yup, set and ready to go.

Ellie’s impatient bark breaks the silence.

Dog. Check.  
Rabbit. He pockets the toy and zips the compartment. Check.

“Come on, Sam! I don’t want to waste the whole day.” A touch of whiny restlessness creeps into his voice.

“I’m coming!” She emerges from the bathroom and enters his line of sight.

Jack’s morning becomes one-thousand-percent more dazzling.

He takes her in from toe to head. Brown hiking boots, long, sun-tanned legs, rolled up olive-green pants that end just above her knees, a black tanktop, and an unbuttoned, short-sleeved purple blouse bless his eyes. Her sunglasses sit atop in her hair and complete the breathtaking appearance.

He whistles at her choice of attire.

Sam shoulders her light backpack, gives him a quick once-over, and smirks. She sways her hips as she passes him by. Mesmerized, his gaze follows her alluring backside while he stays rooted to his spot.

At the front door, she turns around and taunts, “Are you coming?”

Oh, if only she knew.

The drive takes only about 30 minutes since the streets are still empty. They leave the truck close to the entrance, pick up their belongings, and start their hike. For the first two hours, they walk on the main trail, enjoying the weather, nature, and each other’s company. Ellie runs back and forth and eagerly explores the surroundings on her own, never straying too far. Every once in a while, Jack points to a tree, plant, or other prominent feature on the horizon and recounts the one or other anecdote. At a fork, they take the narrow path into the denser forest. Fallen leaves and broken off twigs crunch under their boots. For another 20 minutes, they stay on this trail, before Jack deviates into a group of conifers.

“Are you sure we can do this?” Sam asks skeptically.

“Trust me.” Jack tugs at their entwined hands. “I know my way around here. Please?” Not entirely convinced, Sam acquiesces nevertheless.

After ten minutes trekking over knobby roots and soft ground, they arrive at their destination. Sam’s hands fall to her side as she gawks in awe. They stand on the ledge of a rock formation overlooking a considerable part of the park. The view is jaw-dropping. A creek meanders through blue spruces, narrowleaf cottonwoods, and peachleaf willows beneath them. Beyond to the left, a pond attracts different kinds of aquatic birds. The sunbeams twinkle on the calm surface, creating a brilliant play of colors. The rugged mountains in the background complete the picture of lush green, opalescent blue, and sparkling yellow dots. Paradise spreads out in front of them.

The backpack glides from her shoulder and is carelessly discarded at her feet.

Jack steps behind her and encircles her midriff. His head settles on her shoulder. “Do you like it?” His nose catches a whiff of pine, jasmine, and sun lotion.

Sam nods frantically, having lost her ability to speak at the magnificent, panoramic view.

Jack smiles in satisfaction. Her reaction to his first surprise goes according to his plan. He doesn’t need an alien planet to sweep her off her feet.

A tickling feeling diverts his gaze to their intertwined hands. The way her thumb draws circles on his knuckles fascinates him. “How did you find this place?” That much, he nearly misses her question. “Hmm?... Oh, yeah, right. Found it by chance, when we searched for a missing hiker last summer.” Sam leans further back into his embrace and sighs contentedly. Jack’s arms tighten around her. He nuzzles her hair. “Happy anniversary, my space hero.”

She turns her head halfway. “Happy anniversary, flyboy.” His dopey grin reflects in her shades. He can’t believe what he did right to deserve such an amazing woman.

Her growling stomach disrupts their moment.

“Already hungry?” he quips.

“You know, I’m always starving,” she replies with a seductive grin. The innuendo isn’t lost on him.

They disentangle and spread out the blanket in the shadow of a large tree. Once seated, they split their sandwiches and eat in silence. Ellie laps the water from her bowl and wolfs down the morsels they throw her. Afterward, Sam settles between Jack’s legs, her back comfortably pressed against his chest. Holding the romance novel in one hand, she absentmindedly strokes his knee with the other. The lulling sounds of wildlife travel through the forest. Their sunglasses dangle from a branch in the light summer breeze.

This is it, the moment he has been waiting for. The butterflies in his stomach buzz in excitement while his heart drums in a frenzied beat. His trembling fingers reach for the backpack and retrieve the crossword puzzle and pen. The writing utensil rolls away and slips to the ground. He needs to get his nerves under control.

Sam, on the other hand, is unaware of his predicament. Fully immersed in the novel and completely at ease, she flips the page.

Trying to be inconspicuous, Jack feels for the lost item in the grass.

Ellie cocks her head from side to side.

Ah! Got ya! Triumphantly, Jack picks the rogue pen up.

No time like the present. He takes a deep breath and slides his full hands over her shoulder. “Sam,” he clears his throat, “can you help me out, please?” His voice quivers a tiny bit with emotions.

“Hmm? Okay.” She places her book aside and takes both items. After a few seconds, she quizzes him, “Why do you write _**Will**_ under 8 Down.” Confusion becomes evident. “And 19 Across – raggedy redhead, is not **_You_**. Huh? What does **_Marry_**... have…have... to…,” her voice falters, “under… **_Me_**?”

Wound up, he waits for her answer. His field of vision narrows, black edges appear. His body demands that he goes back to taking breaths and supply the essential oxygen.

She turns halfway around. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Under different circumstances, he’d find her perplexed expression cute. Right now, his heart is in his mouth, and his stomach clenches. His head bobs up and down. Jack has never been more serious in his entire life. Or nervous.

“You and me?” Her index finger waves back and forth between them. “Married?”

He doesn’t stop his affirmative head movement.

“Till death do us part?”

That’s the general idea about marriage. “Yeah,” he rasps, “if you take me.” His throat is as dry as the Sahara.

Without further comment, she focuses back on the newspaper. She taps the end of the pen against her bottom lip.

Jack doesn’t know how to interpret her reaction or worse, her non-reaction. Silence is definitely not what he expected. In his head, the scene always plays out differently. Declarations of love, happy tears, and an overjoyed Samantha flinging herself into his arms, screaming ‘YES’ over and over again; that’s what his mind conjures up. Not uncertainty and nascent doubts.

“Here, for you.” She startles him when she hands him the crossword puzzle back over her shoulder. “Bottom right corner.”

Hopeful and equally anxious, his eyes dart to the section as advised. Under 46 Across, he detects **Y-E-S** _*_ in bold letters. His gaze jumps to her handwriting underneath the grid.

_*you owe me a ring!!!_

His world tilts on its axis again. This time out of joy and happiness. Tears prick his eyes.

“What?” Her radiant smile greets him while she kneels between his legs. Her own eyes cloud with moisture.

Jack crumbles the newspaper and throws it aside. It has done its job. “You had me scared for a second with your silence,” he confesses. “I thought I screwed it all.” His fingers skim the outsides of her upper legs.

“Can you blame me?” She pokes his chest. “You surprised the hell out of me. I needed a minute to think about your proposal.”

He should have anticipated such an outcome and included her overthinking brain in the equation. “What about?” he asks, pretty sure what her next words will be.

“You. Me. Us.”

Right on target. When she doesn’t elaborate, he inquires, “Aaand?”

The battle of finding the right words scurries across her face. She takes a deep breath. The fingers of her left hand entwine with his. “When I look into the mirror, I recognize a woman who is not afraid of her future anymore. Not scared to death by commitment, love, or the prospect of being loved in return. I… I see a better version of myself.” She kisses his fingertips. “All because of you.” Her smile lightens up his soul. “You don’t try to change me into something I’m not. You don’t diminish my accomplishments or demand explanations I can’t give.” His left hand tucks a strand behind her ear. “When my world crumbled, you helped me pick up the pieces and arrange them in a more colorful and... solid way. You stay at my side with the patience of a saint and the wisdom of an old man.” Her thumb wipes away the lonely tear that slides down his cheek. “You, my dearest Jack, you bring out the best, the silliest, the happiest in me. And most importantly, every day, you remind me to accept myself, flaws included.”

Her speech leaves him on the brink of falling apart in the best possible way. His wide grin threatens to break his face.

“So, yes, I love you. Yes, I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. Yes, I wanna marry you.” Her lips are about two inches away from his.

His fingers hook into her belt and yank her closer. “You really think, I’m wise,” he jokes.

She smacks his upper arm. “Smartass,” she mumbles just before she seizes his mouth in a meaningful kiss. Her knee hits his right lower rib as she scrambles into his lap. The impact causes him to gasp. Her tongue uses the unexpected yet welcoming opportunity and sneaks in. Her fingers tangle in his hair and keep him in position for her lips to devour him. His own hands move up and down her spine, each stroke intensifies his desire to feel her bare skin.

The fire in his loins ignites.

His teasing lips stroll along her jaw toward her ear. He nibbles on her earlobe and whispers, “Do you want to celebrate our engagement in true style?” To avoid any misinterpretation, he pulls her hips down and lets her feel his excitement.

Sam draws her breath in sharply and reclines. Her raised eyebrow tells him that she is intrigued.

Jack pats the side pocket of his pants and announces with pride. “I am prepared.”

Sam stares at him for a moment before she bubbles over with laughter. Her forehead rests on top of his shoulder in an attempt to regain her composure.

That is so not the reaction he was aiming for. “Hey, now I’m hurt,” he sulks and pinches her sides.

Sam squirms and blocks his attack.“That’s not it.” Her words get muffled by his shirt. “It’s just,” she straightens, taps with two fingers against the breast pocket of her blouse, and wiggles her eyebrows, “I am prepared, too.”

“Sweet!” he proclaims. “Great minds obviously think alike.” He values her foresight.

“More like two horny adults who can’t get enough of each other,” Sam retorts.

“Whatever.” He’s not going to argue such a technicality. He’d rather kiss her, which he returns to. Since they reached an agreement, he’s determined to touch, taste, and savor all of her. In-depth in two rounds. Luck remains on his side.

Jack tugs her tanktop from her pants and explores the smooth and warm skin of her back and abdomen. By now, he memorized and categorized every dimple, mole, and scar on her body. He identified each pleasure point and filed her reaction, verbal and non-verbal. He learned the difference between an arousing and a soothing touch, how to drive her crazy, and how to deny her the desperately needed release. If he plays her right, she’ll turn into molten lava underneath his fingertips.

His pants are getting tight. Awfully tight.

Jack’s restless hands travel upward and cup her ample breasts through her sports bra. He kneads and rubs until her erect nipples strain against the material. At the same time, his dexterous tongue moves along her throat. With devotion, he sucks at her flushed skin. Her rapid pulse thrums beneath his greedy lips.

Sam moans and rocks her pelvis back and forth, nursing the flames of desire.

For his liking, there are too many layers of fabric still separating them. As if she read his mind, her nimble fingers make short work of his belt, button, and zipper. Her right hand dives in and frees him. Her thumb circles the head, coaxing a drop of precum from him.

God, she is extremely talented. His muffled groan ripples through the tendons at her neck. He could let her manipulate him until he shoots his load all over them. It would be so easy to succumb to her when she pumps him like that, the perfect combination of pressure and speed.

He is rock-hard and throbbing.

Ellie observes the spectacle with heightened interest, ears pointed forward.

“S… aa...ammm...,” he chokes on her name when she twists her hand. One day, she’ll be the death of him. What a divine way to go. But not today.

He tries again. “Saaam, please… let me taste you.” He sounds needier than intended, although it has the desired effect.

After that, it’s a flurry of hands, mouths, and tongues. Caresses that border on tickling, scraping fingernails, and grazing teeth are utilized to tantalize and torment each other. Sam kicks off her boots and flounders when she discards her pants and underwear. Jack is only marginally more graceful. In the end, his clothes pool around his knees. They lick and nibble, suck and probe, arouse and delay gratification until Sam climaxes. Her low-pitched purr transforms into a shriek that shoots right to Jack’s core.

His member leaks at the stunning sight of the glowing goddess above him. The radiant colors of the rainbow pale in comparison.

Embraced in his comfortable, cuddly arms, Sam catches her breath while her fingers play with the fine trail of hair below his navel. They grin at each other and, for a minute or so, engage in a series of sweet, unhurried kisses.

A playful, light-hearted banter of “Yep, here we have the problem. Pressure build-up but no release.” and “For sure, you already have a plan on how to tackle the problem, being a scientist after all.” is exchanged.

Her skilled hand brings him back to full attention. At the same time, he fondles her breast through the layers of fabric, too lazy to remove them because that would mean to interrupt her exemplary diligence. A foil package is ripped open, and the content is masterfully rolled over his length. Sam teases him by dragging the head through her slick folds. After a handful of languid sweeps, she takes mercy on him and sinks all the way down.

Jack sighs in bliss.

With a wicked gleam in her eyes, Sam wiggles her butt. She enjoys his torture way too much. He grabs her hips and starts to thrust, deep and slow. They establish a steady, leisured pace, hands roaming over the planes of their bodies.

It’s fabulous and intoxicating.

After a while, Sam braces herself on his chest and increases the speed. She bounces on him with fervor.

Jack lets the myriad of sensations wash over him. The way the base of his member glistens with her juices. The way her fingernails dig into his skin. The way her inner walls massage him. The way his name tumbles from her lips between deep breaths, throaty sighs, and sensual purrs.

A hoarse groan rises from deep within him as the telltale sign of his balls tightening signals him that he has hit the home stretch. A couple more plunges and he’ll ascend to heaven. His thumb slips to the place between her legs, intend to take her with him.

_SWOOOSH._

Suddenly, the weight and warmth of her body are missing. His eyes fly open. Dazed, he stares into the void in front of him. Mere seconds ago, there was his fiancé, riding him with abandon. Now, there is only empty air. Absolutely, definitely, nowhere in sight is his precious Samantha. His befuddled brain can’t make sense of what just happened. Unconsciously, his hips still buck, seeking out the friction that is no longer available.

Ellie’s hysterical barks bring him back down to earth. His movements stop. He props himself on one arm.

A white light appears. _SWOOOSH._ Sam’s clothes are gone.

What the fuck? If this is some kind of prank, then well played.

“Sam?” He asks hesitantly, still not sure what’s going on.

A chirping bird answers.

“Sam?” His shaky voice becomes louder.

Still, nothing. He is none the wiser.

“SAM? Where are you?” he yells and gets closer to panic with each passing second.

_SWOOOSH._

He finds himself lying on a hard, metallic floor. His naked butt doesn’t notice the cold assault as incredulity and shock paralyze him. Next to him stands the object of his worries, unharmed and fiddling with her belt. The synapses in his brain fail to connect the dots.

“Sam?” he croaks.

“Jack, ...” she indicates to his crotch, blushing fiercely.

Eh? Oh! OH!

The condom hangs loosely from his meanwhile flaccid penis. The sight kicks his gray matter into action. In a hurry, Jack peels it off and stuffs it into a pocket. At lightning speed, he scrambles to hitch up his briefs and pants. He wipes his sticky fingers on his legs before he takes Sam’s offered hand to get up.

The tilt of his head inquires her and seeks an explanation. Sam responds with an apologetic smile and introduces him to the little, gray, and obviously naked figure standing behind some kind of console.

“Jack, this is Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard,” she waves toward the alien. “This is Jack O’Neill, my fiancé.”

Despite the circumstances, Jack’s eyes light up at her form of address. It sounds so right coming from her lips.

“Greetings, Jack O’Neill,” the Supreme Commander offers.

Jack nods in acknowledgment and focuses back on the woman in front of him. “So…?” He lets the question hang between them.

Sam steps closer and places her hand over his heart. “Thor needs SG-1’s help to eliminate an interstellar threat.”

Whatever this means. He doesn’t want to think about the statement in detail. Interstellar sounds incomprehensible. It boggles his mind, which ultimately leads to him panicking. “And they couldn’t call?” Cracking a joke has always been his coping mechanism.

Her mouth curves into a tiny smile while she shakes her head. “No, not really their style.”

His eyebrows climb up. “You’ve done that before?” His hands anchor him at her waist; otherwise, he might faint.

“Yes, a few times.” That doesn’t help to ease his worries. If advanced aliens call for her help, that means...wow,… the implications are enormous, incredibly huge indeed. He marvels at how much of a space hero his soon-to-be wife is.

Jack takes a good look around. Cold, dark colors are prevalent and quite uninviting. These Asgards seem to favor minimal décor, which looks more practical than comfortable. On the other hand, what does he expect from aliens who fly around naked. And disrupt a day full of memorable activities without any qualms.

Behind him, Jack recognizes Earth’s unmistakable blue-ish form through the large window. His heart stops for a nanosecond. “Is that what I think it is?” He gulps down hard. His arms tighten around her body involuntarily.

Sam confirms, “Yeah, beautiful, isn’t it?” He nods slowly, speechless and overwhelmed by the view. The tenderness in her touch compels him to face her. With determination in her voice, she assures him, “Only we can help them, Jack. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.” Her gentle fingers trail from his temple down to his lips. “Don’t worry about me. Just... wait for me.”

“I’ll forever wait for you,” he mumbles against her fingertips.

For a short while, they gaze at each other, lost in their own world.

“Samantha Carter, we do not have much time,” the Supreme Commander breaks their moment.

Jack sighs in frustration. That little guy is never ever getting on the invitation list for the wedding. He spins around, points his index finger at Thor and threatens, “If you don’t bring my fiancé back in one piece, then I’ll-”

_SWOOOSH._

“-kick your gray,… little,…. Dammit!” Back on Earth, in the middle of the woods, he intimidates the innocent air molecules in front of him.

Ellie dashes toward him and jumps up and down, happy to have him back. Jack crouches down on his knees and pets her. The dog licks his hands and face with enthusiasm born out of relief.

“I’m fine,” he laughs. “Easy, girl. Sam’s fine, too.”

He looks upward and wonders. She is somewhere up there, walking among the stars, protecting him and Ellie, Earth, everything she holds dear. A fearless and capable soldier, scientist, and woman. His space hero, in a sense, he never imagined anyone could ever be.

If someone told him a year ago that space travel and aliens were real, he would have laughed at them and called them batshit crazy. Samantha disabused him and changed his view of the universe, of life in general. The Stargate, Goa’ulds, spaceships, little gray aliens; they all are part of his life now.

Does he worry about her? Yes, of course. To love her means to worry about her well-being, body and mind. He hopes his concern and protective instincts aren’t overbearing or suffocating. He’ll offer himself as her safe haven and help her ease the burden as much as possible. For sure, she’ll put him in his place if he crosses a line.

Does he admire her courage and resilience? Hell, yes! To explore the unknown and face whatever is out there, that’s not an easy task. Although she received military training, such a strenuous life can easily take a toll on her. He gained a little inside and that was almost too much to stomach. She, by the way, does it every other week.

Would he ever try to change her and force her to quit, just to keep her safe? No, never! The Stargate is an essential part of her life. The people working there are her family. If he denied her to explore and tinker with alien technology, he would obliterate the flame of curiosity inside of her. To take her career and all its accomplishments away would destroy her soul. She’d change into someone unrecognizable, a listless, empty shell, a ghost of her former self. She’d not be his Samantha anymore.

Will he show his respect and love for her every single day for the rest of his life? Absolutely, definitely, unquestionably, YES! That’s the plan. During the course of their relationship, he has figured out that she appreciates the small gestures more than any grand proclamation of love. A loving touch or holding hands while they walk Ellie, a bookmark between the pages of her novel when she falls asleep on the couch, a new bottle of bath salt that, purely accidental, found its way into her collection; such mundane things speak volumes and represent their relationship. He cherishes every aspect as much as she does.

They just have to work on this ‘getting interrupted during sex’ thing.

**Author's Note:**

> From the very beginning, I had this proposal in mind. It fits this AU perfectly. It couldn’t play out any other way. I just had to write everything else around it. And somewhere along the line, Thor slipped in and interrupted. For a second, I was tempted to utilize Ellie again. The poor dog.
> 
> A happy ending was always the endgame. But it had to be earned. I think they have.
> 
> Initially, I had planned to end the AU with this part, but then my muse came into play about three weeks ago. She whispered, “How about this? Have you considered that? Isn’t this idea beautiful?” Now, I have some images in my head. However, I still have to figure out the main arc and underlying themes, in addition to the obvious. 
> 
> I thank everybody who stuck with me and enjoyed the development of their relationship, whether it was for one single story or for the whole arc.  
> I may come back to these two lovebirds cause it’s so much fun to write for them.
> 
> Until then, I branch out into other stories and explore different angles of Sam/Jack.
> 
> Now, where is this cake...


End file.
